Described herein is an operator control device for a vehicle. Furthermore, described herein is a motor vehicle, in particular a passenger motor vehicle, having the operator control device.
Such operator control devices for vehicles, in particular motor vehicles such as, for example, passenger motor vehicles, are already known from the general related art as well as, in particular, from series manufacture of vehicles. Such an operator control device includes a base element and at least one switching element which is secured, for example, to the base element. The switching element can be moved relative to the base element by closing at least one electrical contact from a first position into at least a second position. The operator control device also includes at least one pushbutton switch which can be moved relative to the base element in a movement direction between a position of rest and at least one activation position. By using the pushbutton switch, the switching element can be moved from the first position into the second position by the pushbutton switch being moved from its position of rest into its activation position. In other words, the switching element can be moved by the pushbutton switch, with the result that the electrical contact can be closed by the switching element and the pushbutton switch.
The operator control device also includes at least one restoring element which is supported on the base element and on the pushbutton switch and can be elastically deformed by moving the pushbutton switch from the position of rest into the activation position. The pushbutton switch can be moved from the activation position into the position of rest by using the restoring element, by at least partially relaxing the restoring element. In other words, the restoring element is elastically deformed in the activation position of the pushbutton switch and as a result is tensioned or charged, and the pushbutton switch which is in the activation position is therefore subjected to a force, in particular a spring force, by using the restoring element which is supported on the pushbutton switch. By using this force, the pushbutton switch is moved from the activation position back into the position of rest, wherein the restoring element at least partially relaxes, i.e. is at least partly deformed back. The switching element is, for example, a further pushbutton switch which can move back from the second position into the first position if the first pushbutton switch is moved from the activation position into the position of rest.
The pushbutton switch forms, for example, a surface of the operator control device, wherein a person, for example a vehicle occupant and, in particular, the driver of the vehicle, touches the surface in order to move the pushbutton switch from the position of rest into the activation position. To do this, the person applies a force to the pushbutton switch, for example by using one of their fingers, by using which force the pushbutton switch is moved into the activation position counter to the force of the restoring element.
In the position of rest, the pushbutton switch is spaced apart, for example, from the switching element. On its way from the position of rest into the activation position, before the pushbutton switch reaches its activation position it abuts against the switching element in a supported fashion with the result that the switching element is then moved together with the pushbutton switch into its activation position. As a result, the switching element is ultimately moved from its first position into its second position. The pushbutton switch is used, in particular, in order to make available a particularly large surface which can be touched by the person, with the result that simple and comfortable operator control of the operator control device can be implemented.
However, for example, it has become apparent that an unfavorable force profile can occur during the movement of the pushbutton switch from the position of rest into the activation position, in particular when the pushbutton switch carries out a relatively long stroke between the position of rest and the activation position and/or there is a large distance between the pushbutton switch and the switching element in the position of rest of the pushbutton switch. This unfavorable force profile can give rise to imprecise and, in particular, unpleasant operator control of the operator control device.